Jerry Dammers' Spatial A.K.A Orchestra

JERRY DAMMERS' SPATIAL A.K.A ORCHESTRA WILL BE PLAYING AT THE BARBICAN, LONDON ON FRIDAY 18TH JULY 2014. Click here to book

The founder of The Specials and 2 Tone, Jerry Dammers, has moved his Spatial AKA Orchestra on some way from its beginnings as a tribute to maverick jazz musician Sun Ra.

At its last concert in Berlin the orchestra, containing some of the cream of Britain's jazz players, had expanded the scope of its repertoire. The original space sounds, funk jazz and cosmic blues have met strange library music and a strand of what Jerry calls the 'lost summer' of reggae, rock steady, ska, and the big band rhythm and blues which gave birth to it – music originally played by Jamaican jazz players like Tommy McCook, and occasionally celebrated by the orchestra under the name Reggae Ensemble.

Jerry offers his interpretations of all this music, with arrangements which sometimes salute newer styles such as hip hop, dubstep or drum and bass. The concerts always contain a few adaptations of Jerry's own songs and some original material and – although some of the material will never have been performed in London before – there will be orchestra favourites too.

Music and history greats will also be celebrated by the Orchestra, as the concert falls on Mandela day, and 2014 is Sun Ra's centenary year. Mat Fox will also be remembered – leader of The Happy End and Kinetica, who sometimes played with the orchestra, but sadly died in February this year.

The story will take in some of the more peaceful and melodic, along with the loud and exhilarating.